A dead battery can derail your day, but a safe jump-start only takes a few basic precautions and the correct cable sequence. Follow these GMC service tips from Provo GMC Cadillac to get back on the road—and learn when it’s time to have your battery tested.
Shut Everything Down Before You Open the Hood
To start, park the vehicles close enough for the cables to reach without letting the bodies touch. Turn off both ignitions, set both parking brakes, and shut off headlights, climate control, and anything plugged into a USB port.
Red to Dead, Red to Donor, Black to Metal
Clamp one red cable end to the positive terminal on the dead battery, then the other red end to the positive terminal on the working battery. Next, attach the black cable to the negative terminal of the working battery. The other end of the black cable should attach to an unpainted bolt or bracket on the engine of the dead vehicle, several inches away from the battery.
Start the Donor, Then Try the Key
Let the working vehicle idle for several minutes to push a charge across, then try starting the dead one. If you get nothing but clicking after two attempts, stop cranking and check that each clamp has bitten through any corrosion to bare metal.
Unhook in Reverse and Keep Driving
Remove the black clamp from the engine ground first, then the black clamp from the working battery, then the red clamps, keeping the ends apart throughout. Drive at least 20 minutes in the recipient vehicle so the alternator can put a real charge back into the battery.
Schedule a GMC Service in Provo, UT
A battery that needed a jump once will usually need one again, and a Utah morning is a poor place to find out. Provo GMC Cadillac tests batteries, charging systems, and starters in our service department. Visit us to check your battery’s health and get a replacement if necessary today.